What Hollywood General Machining does

Hollywood General Machining, Inc. is a privately held, Burbank, California-based precision manufacturer operating under the Losmandy brand since 1981. The company designs and builds equatorial telescope mounts (GM8, G11, Titan25, Titan50 and upgraded G-variants) augmented by the Gemini 2 computerized GoTo control system with high-torque servo motors, plus a Spring Loaded Worm and One Piece Worm Block architecture for reduced backlash. Supporting products include D-Series and V-Series dovetail plates, Starlapse time-lapse systems, Porta-Jib camera supports, FlexTrak tracking hardware, and a comprehensive replacement-parts catalog priced from $1 (T-handles) to $400 (Tucked In Motor Upgrade), with factory-direct upgrade services for installed-base retrofits.

The company monetizes almost exclusively through one-time equipment sales: complete mounts and GoTo bundles, accessories and dovetail systems, and a granular replacement-parts business, supplemented by factory-service revenue from in-house upgrades. Go-to-market is dual-channel: direct-to-consumer via the losmandy.com e-commerce storefront (with domestic and international ordering) plus an authorized dealer/distributor network that handles local sales and support globally, including named partners such as Advanced Telescope Supplies in Australia. The customer base is overwhelmingly individual amateur astronomers and astrophotographers, served alongside a thin layer of telescope makers and repair services that adopt Losmandy dovetail and mounting standards.

Operations are concentrated at the 416 N. Varney Street Burbank facility, with software-side integrations through ASCOM (Gemini Telescope.net driver), community-developed INDI drivers, and PHD Guiding documentation anchoring the Gemini 2 controller within the dominant third-party astrophotography stacks. The company is founder-operated with no disclosed institutional investment, parent company, M&A activity, or executive team information in the available data, and operates with a 1-10 employee footprint typical of a niche specialty manufacturer serving a discretionary hobbyist market.

Name

Hollywood General Machining

Legal name

Hollywood General Machining, Inc.

Website

https://losmandy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Hollywood General Machining, operating as Losmandy since 1981, designs and manufactures precision equatorial telescope mounts, Gemini GoTo control systems, and dovetail accessories in Burbank, California, serving amateur astronomers and astrophotographers through direct-to-consumer e-commerce and a global dealer network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Burbank

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Telescope Mounts and Systems: Sale of equatorial telescope mounts including GM8, G11, Titan25, Titan50 models with various configurations and upgrade options.
2. Accessories and Dovetail Systems: D Series and V Series dovetail plates, telescope accessories, and mounting systems for various telescope configurations.
3. Replacement Parts: Individual replacement parts for mounts, motors, gears, bearings, and electronic components. Wide range from $1 to $400+.
4. Factory Upgrade Services: Factory-based upgrade services including Tucked In Motor upgrade ($400), motor modifications, and cleaning/regreasing services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Hollywood General Machining designs, precision-machines, and assembles Losmandy-branded German equatorial telescope mounts (GM8, G9, G11, GM811G, G11G, G11GT, Titan25, Titan50), Gemini GoTo computer systems, D/V-series dovetail plates, the Porta-Jib camera support, FlexTrak and Starlapse tracking accessories, and related replacement parts. All production is performed in-house at its Burbank, California facility for the amateur astronomy and astrophotography community.

Product overview

Hollywood General Machining (operating as Losmandy Products) manufactures precision equatorial telescope mounts and astronomical accessories. The product portfolio centers on a family of equatorial mounts (GM8, G11, Titan series, and their upgraded G variants) that serve as the core products, which can be equipped with optional Gemini GoTo computerized control systems. Supporting the mounts is a comprehensive range of accessories including D Series and V Series dovetail mounting systems, telescope accessories, replacement parts, and specialty products like the Starlapse time-lapse system. The company also produces Porta-Jib and FlexTrak cinematography equipment under the same brand. The products are manufactured in Burbank, California and distributed through a network of dealers worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Losmandy: Precision equatorial mounts and telescope accessories for astronomy
• Porta-Jib
• FlexTrak

Products and services

• GM8 Equatorial Mount Compact German equatorial mount manufactured by Losmandy for amateur astronomers and astrophotographers needing a portable, precision tracking platform for small-to-medium telescopes and camera payloads.
• G9 Equatorial Mount German equatorial mount in the Losmandy line, positioned between the GM8 and G11 in capacity, for amateur astronomers requiring a mid-range precision tracking mount.
• G11 Equatorial Mount Mid-capacity German equatorial mount manufactured by Losmandy, widely used by amateur astronomers and astrophotographers for medium-to-large telescope payloads.
• GM811G Equatorial Mount Variant configuration of the Losmandy GM8/G11 German equatorial mount line for amateur astronomy use.
• G11G Equatorial Mount Variant configuration of the Losmandy G11 German equatorial mount for amateur astronomy use.
• G11GT Equatorial Mount Higher-capacity variant of the Losmandy G11 German equatorial mount for amateur astronomy use.
• Titan25 Mount High-capacity Losmandy mount variant for amateur astronomers requiring greater payload support than the G11 series.
• Titan50 Mount Highest-capacity Losmandy mount variant for amateur astronomers and small observatory installations requiring very large payload support.
• Gemini GoTo System Losmandy computerized GoTo computer system that upgrades supported equatorial mounts with automated object location and tracking, sold both integrated with new mounts and as a factory-retrofit upgrade for existing mounts.
• D/V Series Dovetail Plates Standardized Losmandy D and V series dovetail mounting plates used to attach telescopes, cameras, and accessories to Losmandy mounts and compatible third-party saddles.
• Porta-Jib Portable Losmandy-branded jib-style camera support for photographers and videographers who need lightweight, mobile camera elevation in the field.
• FlexTrak Losmandy tracking accessory designed to extend the capability of Losmandy mounts and camera setups with flexible mounting/tracking support.
• Starlapse Losmandy tracking/sliding accessory for time-lapse and slow-motion camera moves, integrating with the company's dovetail plate and mount ecosystem.
• Losmandy Replacement Parts Factory-supplied replacement parts and upgrade components for existing Losmandy mounts and accessories, supporting long-term serviceability of the product line.

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Advanced Telescope Supplies (Peter J. Ward)standardChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPeter J. Ward operates Advanced Telescope Supplies in Australia as an authorized Losmandy dealer. He is also an avid astrophotographer who showcases images made using Losmandy equatorial mounts and accessories at atscope.com.au. His site contains valuable information, technical details, tips and links to other astronomy resources.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• 10Micron: 10Micron produces ultra-high-precision observatory-class mounts that compete at the very top of the amateur/professional payload tier alongside Losmandy's Titan50, though at significantly higher price points.
• Explore Scientific: Explore Scientific offers mid-tier equatorial mounts (iEXOS-100, PMC-Eight system) targeting the emerging astrophotography segment with app-driven control, partially overlapping with Losmandy's Gemini GoTo product positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Celestron: Celestron is the dominant consumer-facing telescope brand offering a broad lineup of mounts (CGX, CGEM, Advanced VX) alongside complete telescopes, overlapping with Losmandy on equatorial mounts but serving a much wider amateur base.
• Orion Telescopes & Binoculars: Orion is a major direct-to-consumer astronomy retailer that markets its own equatorial mounts (Atlas, Sirius, Atlas EQ-G) competing with Losmandy in the entry-to-mid tier amateur segment.
• Meade Instruments: Meade is an established broad-line telescope and mount manufacturer with LX-series equatorial/alt-az products that compete in the same amateur market as Losmandy but with a much wider product portfolio.

Direct peers

• iOptron: iOptron designs and manufactures computerized equatorial and alt-azimuth mounts directly competing with Losmandy's GM8, G11, and Titan product lines for the amateur astrophotography segment, with comparable GoTo systems and payload tiers.
• Software Bisque: Software Bisque's Paramount series are premium robotic equatorial mounts serving the same high-end astrophotography and small-installation market as Losmandy's Titan mounts, with similarly strong software integration.
• Vixen Optics: Vixen is a long-established Japanese precision mount maker (SXP, Sphinx) with comparable equatorial mount engineering and a similar brand legacy to Losmandy in the amateur astrophotography community.
• Astro-Physics: Astro-Physics produces premium American-made equatorial mounts (Mach1, 1100GTO, 1600GTO) that compete head-to-head with Losmandy's Titan and G11GT mounts for high-end amateur and pro-sumer astrophotography.
• Sky-Watcher: Sky-Watcher (and sister brand Celestron) sells equatorial mounts such as the EQ6-R and HEQ5 that compete with Losmandy at lower price points, targeting the same amateur astronomer buyer with overlapping payload and GoTo functionality.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/Losmandy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hollywood-general-machining

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hollywood General Machining